We would welcome applications from people with
business skills who might have experience of finance or HR, development,
strategic planning, project managing or marketing. You may be interested in
transport issues and how the lack of provision negatively affects a person’s
quality of life leading to loneliness and social isolation and changes the
economic and cultural nature of a community.

Trustee meetings are held every 1-2 months during the day,
usually at Castlepoint management boardroom and it is important that Trustees
are available to attend these meetings. Outside of meetings, contact is made by
emails or phone. References, and DBS check will be required and you will be required to sign a declaration confirming that you are eligible to be a Trustee and fulfil HMRC's Fit and Proper Person's test.

Change lives by Volunteering and join Community Cars as a Volunteer Driver

Community Cars will help anyone in the Bournemouth area who can't use public transport but still need to get out and about. It's a kind, caring and compassionate service which gives a safe and helping hand. The service is run with a team of volunteer drivers who use their own cars to go out into the community and drive members to where ever they choose to go. This might be for a GP or Dental appointment, a trip to a local Friendship Group or a visit to a Care Home to visit a loved one, even the Hairdressers - Community Cars will always try to help. Community Cars will also find a driver to take a member to a Hospital or Clinic appointment.

For elderly people who live alone and find themselves isolated, their world can suddenly start shrinking and all physical and mental wellbeing starts to suffer. Calling for a Community Car driver can make all the difference and gives many people a chance to get out and about and feel part of the world again.

If you live within the Bournemouth area and would like to spare a few hours of your time, then this scheme is for you.

To join Community Cars you will need a clean driving licence and drive your own car. Expenses will be paid which should cover your petrol and help towards your running costs.

Frequently asked questions:

Q. How is the Community Car Scheme run?A. sedcat (South East Dorset Community Accessible Transport) administer the scheme by finding a driver as close as possible to the home of a Community Car member who needs help with transport. Members who are unable to use public transport and have no family, friend or carer often find using a taxi is both expensive and sometimes impersonal, so it is a great help to be able to call for a sedcat Volunteer driver.

Q. How often will I need to be available?A. Even by giving just a few hours a week you will help. Some drivers are happy to have a regular booking every week and others prefer that we contact them to see if they would be available on an 'ad hoc' basis.

Q. Will I get any expenses?A. sedcat pay 45p a mile (the recognised Government mileage payment) to each driver in respect of each individual journey; mileage starts from the driver's home. This will cover petrol expenses and should help towards some running costs for the car.

Q. I don't have a current CRB check, do I need one?A. Yes, all drivers need to be CRB checked and sedcat will process and pay for this.

Q. What happens with my car insurance - do I need to amend my policy?A. sedcat will ask you to send a form to your car insurance company advising them that you are a volunteer driver. There is normally no charge for this and the insurance company will amend your policy accordingly.

Q. Will I need to collect any money from the person I am driving?A. No, each member is charged 55p a mile which is calculated from the driver's home. sedcat will invoice each Community Car member for their journey.

Q. Where will I be taking people?A. Local people who are unable to use public transport, and who find taxis expensive, still need to get out and about in the community for their daily needs. So, it may involve taking a Community Car member to the Opticians, their local GP, a visit to a friendship club, even a visit to the Hairdresser. Normally, trips are within the Bournemouth area.

Q. I'm interested, what do I do now?A. Please contact us and pop along for a chat, and remember, even by giving a few hours a week you will be helping someone who will really appreciate your help and support. To arrange a date and time to come along and see us please telephone 01202 534027 or email us at info@sedcat.org.uk

"Bill, a Community Car driver calls for a member who needs to make a visit to the Doctors"

Volunteers making a difference

At sedcat, we understand how important it is to provide opportunities for anyone living in the community who wish to contribute to society by helping those less privileged than themselves. We greatly value our dedicated band of Volunteers who work tirelessly to help us in our mission to bring accessible and affordable transport to residents in Bournemouth who struggle with their transport needs. At sedcat we have many areas of volunteering opportunities where we constantly look for support:

Volunteer drivers for our Community Cars SchemeIT support, including help with our database and websiteShopmobility Volunteers to help customers with training and general admin duties Fundraising support

"Daniel, has happily given up a large amount of his spare time to helpsedcatwith their website" as Daniel says "working with computers and generally fixing them is what I do outside of my job, so helping out sedcat was a pleasure as well as a way of further improving my computer skills"

"A group of Volunteers help with a collection on the top mall of Castlepoint during the annual Castlepoint Pancake Race day"

Mayor's Volunteer and Volunteer Group of the Year Awards 2012 : Runner up Diana Brocklehurst

We were delighted to hear that Diana (one of our Community Cars Drivers) was awarded the 'Runner Up' Award from the Mayor at the recent award's ceremony. For over 4 years Diana has been a volunteer community car driver for sedcat and a volunteer wheelchair-pusher for the BAT Bus collecting Marjorie, one of the BAT Bus ladies, and taking her shopping in ASDA. Not only does she volunteer for sedcat, she also helps at the Talking Newspapers editing, reading and general secretarial duties. Diana gives up half of her week volunteering and over 200 people benefit; she more than deserves her award.